All about teeth

It feels like its been all about teeth at our house lately.  Carson lost his second tooth earlier this month and was so excited to actually have a tooth to put under his pillow.

Then in the short month that Logan got his first tooth he has popped out a tooth each week!  Making a grand total of 4 teeth with a fifth on its way out any day now.  Although you'd never know he's been teething.  He's been a trooper!

Physical Therapy

Today was my last day of Physical Therapy and they re-evaluated me to compare from my first day to my last day.  I have 100% range in motion when I raise my left arm all the way back and I'm just a few degrees shy when I raise my arm from my side (like when you make a snow angel)!  This is a big deal since when I started I could barely raise my left arm at all.

My swelling also showed a huge improvement.  I started out with 11% swelling and I'm down to 1%!  I really do feel completely back to normal!  That is until the end of September when I start my treatment, but I try not to think about that yet.  I've still got my summer to enjoy.

He's a walk'n man!

Just a day after his birthday and this cutie took his first few steps!  As a mom it just melts your heart seeing them reach these milestones, and yet sad at the same time seeing this baby of mine turn and start walking into a toddler.  I just wish life had a pause button sometimes so we can enjoy these moments just a little longer.

He would only take about 4 to 5 steps at first until these past few days where he has just taken off!  He tries walking any chance he gets (especially if its on carpet), but crawling still gets him to where he wants to be faster.  He is so proud of himself when he is walking, I love it!  Not only is he getting better at walking, but climbing as well.  He scared his babysitter today when he climbed up a curved ladder at the playground (it only had 3 steps) and she made the comment that he's doing things he shouldn't be able to do until he's 2!  Yes.  He tries so hard to keep up with the big kids!  Watch out world here comes Logan!

So happy I was able to actually capture his first steps on camera!  I scared Logan though with how excited I got!

4th of July

I just love the 4th of July.  The patriotism, BBQ's, and fireworks.  It really is such a great holiday. 

This year our 4th was low key.  We stopped by our communities 4th of July celebration.  They had some bounce castles and booths set up, but our kids were too hot and bounced just only a little bit before they were done, so we left and got some chick fil-a for lunch.

 bought some fireworks at the local stand.  I love living in a place that sales fireworks!  After 7 years in Arizona its a welcome treat.

 The boys played on the new slip n slide that afternoon

Love these cuties in their patriotic outfits.

  

That night we went to our cities fireworks with our friends.  The fireworks show wasn't as good as I remembered them being from the first year we were here, but the kids loved it and we had great company, so it was really fun.

Then after being stuck in traffic for an hour we came home and lit our own. This was Logan's first year watching the fireworks and he loved them!  Which I'm thankful for because wether he likes it or not fireworks will always be part of his birthday and I'm glad he likes them vs. hates them.  

12 Months

Look how much he has grown! I know I've said it before, but 1 year birthdays are hard on me. This year just flew by and we have loved getting to know this guy and watch him grow.  He has brought so much joy into our family and I've loved watching Carson and Tanner being big brothers.  I really can't believe that my baby is now a toddler.

This little boy in just the week of his birthday grew into a big boy.  Besides getting teeth that week, he started sleeping through the night.  Hallelujah!!  The day before his birthday he started crawling down the stairs.  Then a day after his birthday he started walking!!  He also crawled up the ladder to the top of the trampoline, by himself!  He is such a mover and wiggle worm!

In fact I was referred by my pediatrician to take him to a gastro doctor to see if there where any organic issues as to why Logan is so small.  They ran blood and stool tests and they all came back normal.  He is perfectly healthy and the doctor just said he is high energy and just burns off everything he eats.  I could have told him that.

He has also added a few words to his vocabulary.  Nah for the dreaded no, yeah for yes, and mah for more.

He has gone from this:

to this:

 He's my happy little guy and I'm so glad he's mine! Happy 1st birthday Logan!

Smash Cake!

My baby turned one this week!  I'm in disbelief that he's been in our lives a whole year now.  It went by way to fast, but we sure had fun celebrating his birthday all weekend long!  

 As soon as we put Logan down he headed straight for the cake!  He knew exactly what to do!

 yep he was pretty happy and loved eating that cake!

 He ate quite a bit and totally destroyed the cake!

 and we're done.  He's actually crying because he crawled over to me and wanted to climb on me and I wouldn't let him because he was so dirty.

 bathtime!  The water turned a pretty bright blue color once we got him all clean.

Austin Getaway

It has been a long couple months and we were feeling the itch to just getaway and enjoy summer!  So we took a 3 day weekend trip to Austin!

Our hotel was right next to the University of Texas home of the Longhorns, so we walked around there for a bit. 

You could also see the state capital just down the street.  We toured the capital on our last trip to Austin so we just enjoyed the view this time.

 One thing we did want to do again however was to see the bats!  We had so much fun last time and the boys made sure to bring their masks!

 We arrived a little too early however and waited 2 hours till sunset.  So we tried hard to keep ourselves entertained.  Tanner was really cute with Logan and played peek-a-boo with him in this old tree stump.

 It was a big let down this time though, the bats came out one at a time and not in the big cloud like last time.  And after waiting 2 hours, 2 of the 3 boys were getting super tired and grouchy.

We ate some really yummy places.  Brad loves going to the local places.  Austin apparently has the best BBQ in the US at a place called Franklins and we really wanted to try it, but when we arrived the line was FOREVER long.  Then while reading the reviews we learned that people arrive at 6:30 in the morning with lawn chairs and coolers and camp out until they open at 11 for lunch and they are open until they run out of food, which is always before 3.  So we went elsewhere.

I love pictures where Logan looks like he's just one of the boys!

This burger joint we went to was very Austin esque.  Out door eating area, with lights strung in the trees, and a band playing.  It was a lot of fun!

We finally made it to the pool for the first time this year!  A little late in the summer, but with both Tanner and mines surgeries we weren't allowed to swim yet, but they had fun swimming at the hotel.  Logan especially LOVED it (it was his first time ever!) and it was really cute watching him.  I'm excited for more pool days.  That is if it will ever stop raining!

 One of the main things we really wanted to do was to go to the natural springs Hamilton Pools:  Isn't it gorgeous?

Unfortanately they were closed due to flooding so we went to another natural springs called Barton Springs.  Its in downtown Austin and they've turned this spring into a swimming hole.  Since its a natural spring the water remains at a constant 68 degrees!  It was freezing, even on a hot day.

Carson loved it and Tanner just stayed by the steps and played with his squirt gun.  Maybe someday we'll be able to go to Hamilton Pools, but this was definitely a fun back up!

First Tooth! (Finally)

On June 27, just 6 days away from his first birthday, this little babes tooth finally popped out!  He's a late bloomer and I was beginning to worry that he might not even have any teeth!

The one next to it feels like it will make an appearance any day as well and I'm excited that he'll have some little chompers to help eat some new foods.

A month of visitors

To help with my after surgery recovery the 2nd time around we had a month long of helpers to take over as mom while I recovered.  It was a much needed blessing as I was debilitated with my drain and limited in movement with my arm for a few weeks, not to mention extremely tired.  

My mom came just a few days before my surgery and so Brad and I took advantage and went to see the newAvengers movie.  I came home to find them like this.

We were also able to attend Carson's school carnival, before I was out of commission.  Look at Tanner (orange shirt) being all brave!

bedtime stories

After my surgery my mom made this little bag for my drain for when I went out in public.

She was here for 2 & a half weeks and I couldn't have done it without her!  She really took over so I could recover.  Moms are the best like that.

The day my mom left we gained another visitor!  Our cousin Catherine and her kids came to play and visit!  Brian (her husband) was in San Antonio for a dental rotation and while out to visit him she broke away for a day or two to come see us!  We just love this family and it was so good to catch up with Catherine and meet their newest addition.

Aren't his cheeks just adorable?! Plus look at that hair.

Then Grandma Clark flew straight from her Disney world trip to come and help.  Here they are showing off their new Mickey Mouse shirts she brought them.

Now here in their Sunday best.

One of the things Brad really wanted to do with his mom while she was here was take her on a bike ride.

During much of Grandma's visit it was raining.  We even had a tropical storm (it barely hit us), but we were cooped up inside a lot of days and so we bought a new game.  Carson chose head banz and poor Grandma ended up playing this game a lot!

We were able to get out and go bowling, take the boys to pump it up, to the furniture store, and the zoo.

I'm so grateful for these wonderful women to give up their time to come help us!  The boys miss their grandmas and are asking when we can go to Utah.